Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This wonderfully visual book could be a picture book and by using photographs, text messages, newspaper articles, postcards, printing, and so much more. Glory Fleming is a piano prodigy. She has played the world over, lost her mother when she was eight years old and now has a strict father as her manager. Glory misses her mother, practices piano all day long and doesn't have much in her life than her memories and her piano. Until Argentinian Frank moves next door with his family; Glory and Frank fall in love. When her father plans a tour to Europe, will it drive a wedge between Glory and Frank? While on tour, each of Glory's performances becomes marred by her constant playing of Chopsticks. After Glory returns with her father, he takes her to Golden Hands Rest Facility where she has been on numerous occasions since her mother's death. What will become of Glory and Frank, this book is so much beauty and pain, read it, enjoy it, talk about it.

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The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book rightly deserved the Schneider Family Book Award which honors the disability experience in children's and young adult literature. The author is also committed to reading writing and running. Jessica is a normal 16 year old finishing a race one moment and as she rides on her school bus going home, disaster occurs. An uninsured truck driver hurdles down a hill into the bus, killing a classmate and depriving Jessica of her leg. Not onlyis she a runner and racer; she is a winner and while losing her leg causes her all kinds of hurt, anxiety, and insecurity; Jessica is the kind of person who always tries to be positive, works hard to be the best and cares about others. This book was so good on so many levels; Jessica has great friends but Fiona is truly a best friend who is willing to wait for Jessica to come around, support her when she is down and find a way for the track team to get Jessica back in action with a prosthetic leg. Jessica's family is supportive; her dog, Sherlock accompanies her on runs and the most supportive person is her coach, Kyro. Kyro has winners on his team because each runner knows what it takes to do their best and they strive to be winners. Since Jessica had to use a wheelchair when she returned to school, she was placed with Rosa who has cerebral palsy. From Rosa (who Jessica barely acknowledged before)Jessica learns how to reach out and help Rosa feel the wind flying on her face and in her hair. Gavin has been her crush for two years now and he contacts Jessica about doing a story about her in the school newspaper. It is because of Jessica's can do attitude that a friendship develops between them, will there be a romance too? You will have to read this emotional book to find out!

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Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vidya is an Indian girl in the 1940's with a close knit family. Vidya's father is a doctor and she has a mother and a brother. It is during a march when her father helps a woman who has been thrashed by the British soldiers that he is in turn, viciously beaten and is no longer a vibrant doctor but dependent on his family for his every need. Vidya's family must go live with her father's family, work long hours and endure insults and slurs. Vidya once wanted to attend school and even though this seems impossible now, she longs to get an education, which leads her to get permission from her grandfather to "climb the stairs" and spend time reading in the library. Vidya also brings her baby neice while she pores over the many wonderful books. She also meets Raman who seems to like the same books and leads to many long conversations. Her brother decides to go into the army and fight and is banished from his grandfather's home. Vidya can't understand why he is forsaking her and the family. Will Vidya be able to hold onto her dream of becoming educated and bettering the world like her father, or will she be married off in an arranged marriage?

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